Automatic parachute



Dec. 22, 1 931. ELlA 1,838,035

AUTOMATIC PARACHUTE Patented Dec. 22, 1931 PATENT OFFICE GIOVANNIEMANUELE ELIA, OF ROME, ITALY, ASSIGNOR T sooIErrA ANONIMA FON- DERIADEL PIGNONE, 0F FIREN'ZE, ITALY AUTOMATIC PARACHUTE Application filedFebruary 13, 1929, Serial No. 339,659, and in Italy November 13, 1928.

When required to drop bodies supplied with a parachute from greatheights for the purpose of causing them to reach a definite terrestrialzone or a limited expanse of water, one is met by the drawback that saidbodies which take a considerable length of time in descending, areexposed for a long time to the influence of the wind which is apt togive rise to very extensive deviation such as it is impossible toforesee by means of the instruments that it is actually feasible toaccommodate on board steerable airships. In order to withdraw theaforesaid bodies, within the limits of possibility, from the influenceof the wind, they must be allowed to remain in the air for as short atime as possible, and this is only attainable by allowing them toaccomplish a free descent throughout almost the whole of their course,they being restrained during the last stretch of their fall only, bymeans of a parachute intended to prevent their suffering a severe shockon touclhing the ground, or on reachingthe sealeve Hitherto existingparachutes may be opened through the release of a suitable checkeffected either by hand, when a person is engaged in .the descent, or bymeans of selfacting retarding devices. In the latter case it is knownhow retarding means, although regulated on board the airplane ordirigible airship before being thrown out is unable to afford anyguarantee of accurate functioning at any definite and precise altitudeabove the earth or the level of the sea. This is so both because it isimpossible for the person by whom the throwing is carried out to knowthe exact altitude above the earth or the sea of the flying apparatusand because it is difficult to cause the release of the parachute to becontrolled by recourse being had for instance to barometric pressureowing to the various circumstances whereby the values of the latter areliable to be influenced.

The present invention has therefore for its ob ect to enable a secureopening of a para-v estimation on the part of the crew of the airplanesor dirigible airships. This invention consists essentially in a plummetconnected through a small cable to a click device which, on theslackening of the aforesaid cable consequent upon the plummets(preceding the falling body at a distance equal to that determined bythe opening of the parachute) reaching the ground or the surface of theWater, brings about, through any means, the opening of the aforesaidparachute. The system intended to be patented is indicated schematicallyand by examples in the accompanyingdrawings.

In the drawings- Fig. I indicates the falling body as soon as it hasleft the airship, to wit, at the starting of its Vertical descent;

Fig. II indicates the same body a few moments later i. e. when, due tothe previous functioning of some retarding device, the plummet destinedto precede the body in falling, becomes detached, beginning to unwindthe connecting cable;

Fig. III indicates a further successive stage with the plummetcontinuing to pay out the connecting cable;

In Fig. IV it will be noted that the plummet has unwound the whole ofthe cable of a length corresponding to the altitude whereat theparachute is to be opened during the subsequent descent of the fallingbody; in

Fig. V is indicated the moment when the plummet touches the surface ofthe earth or of the sea; in said figure it will be seen that theconnecting cable is slackened while the sudden absence of the tractiveweight upon said cable causes the necessary clicking action in order tothe opening of the parachute; 9o

til

Fig. VI finally, the falling body is indicated as descending at reducedspeed owing to the complete opening of the parachute.

Fig. VII particularly illustrates one of the many modes for therealization of the system of automatic control for the attainment of therequired law of gravitation (vi z:the automatic opening of a parachutebeing brought about at a given established distance from the ground orfrom the surface of the water).

In Figs. I-VI is indicated a series of the functioning stages.

According to the example shown in the drawings, the body a isillustrated in its horizontal posltlon, as it may be supposed to besituated when it is depending from the airplane or dirigible airship bwhence it isto be dropped.

By a, 0 are indicated two suspension bars of any description. which may,by any method. be loosened by the pilot, atwill, in order to effect therelease of the falling body. At d the plummet is indicated, preventedfrom moving bv a key 6 fastened by means of a small cable 7 to theflying machine 6. At the moment when the body is released and is severedfrom the machine, the key 6 which remains attached to the airship.leaves the plummet free ((1) to detach itself from the falling body.

As soon as the body assumes the vertical position. the plummet whichpresents a degree of penetration and a density (specific weight)exceeding that of the body a tends to become detached, preceding thelatter in falling. The detachment is not instantaneous, but occurs underrestraint inasmuch, for instance, as a tail-piece g fixed to the plummetis required to drive the piston h within a retarding cylinder filledwith oil or with any other liquid '5 that shall oppose a certainresistance to the stroke of the said cylinder i.

The plummet remains conjoined to the falling body by means of a rope 7cwound round a drum Z, passing over a pulley m and having apre-established length k. The tension exerted upon the cable keeps downthe ferrule '11- in spite of the action of a calibred spring 0 tendingto drive it upwards. This is brought about by the spring being given areaction that is less than the resultant of the strain which holds thecable 7: taut. Thus the body approaches the surface of the earth or thewater-level, preceded at a distance k by the plummet. A soon as the.latter touches the ground or the surface of the sea, the ferrule 11. isdriven upwards by the spring 0 owing to the sudden slackening of thecable. Such slackening and subsequent action of the spring 0 causes theferrule to release the balls 2 from the groove of the shaft '1'. As soonas the balls p are released, the shaft 1' and the parachute are drivenupwards by a spring 3 and the parachute thus enters upon its functions.

In order to prevent the possibility of the ferrule n sliding upwardsunder the action of the spring 0 and releasing the balls p at the wrongtime when the plummet d is at the commencement of the descent of thefalling body or during the period when the small connecting cable hasnot been unwound (during which period reduced tension is being exertedon the cable 7; the ferrule itself is fitted with a bar or appendix t.This ap endix is firmly held fast by an axis u w ich turns together withthe drum Z. This axis is screw-threaded and screwed into the aperture ofthe said appendix t. As the drum turns, this axis u gradually re-entersthe drum, so that after a certain number of preestablished turns (thisnumber of tu ns is assigned in such manner as to free the appendix tafter such a degree of tension has been ensured upon the cable as to becapable of overcoming the reaction of the spring 0) the appendix t isfreed and the ferrule n enabled t9 function unrestrictedly.

This arrangement has a purely demonstrative value, the severalmechanisms thereby involved being variable in any manner and preciselyso as regards the mode of connecting the plummet to the body, the typeof retarding device and the mode of application thereof, the manner ofturning the tension of the cable to account with pulleys or gearings ofany description, the mechanism requisite for releasing the parachute atthe moment when the plummet no longer brings its share of weight to bearupon the connecting cable, the device for the prevention of the untimelydetent action of the parachute, etc.

Furthermore the body a may be provided with other devices adapted tofree it from the plummet and from the parachute, after its immersion inthe water, for instance, or after having reached the surface of thelatter.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare thatwhat I claim is 1. Parachute releasing means comprising a parachutecontainer, a plummet in one end of the container releasable therefrom,means to retard the relase of the plummet from the container, a cordattached to the plummet, means to wind up the cord, a parachute andmeans to release the parachute from the container, said parachutereleasing means being controlled by the cord, and the said releaseretarding means including a member ofthe plummet having an inclined camface and also including a member carried by the container, and yieldablemeans to press said member against said inclined face.

2. Apparatus of the class described, comprising means to prevent anuntimely release of the parachute, which means includes an ejectingspring for the parachute, a retaining rod for the parachute, a slidablemember controlling a catch which holds said rod, a releasing springacting against the slidable member, a pulley carried by said slidablemember, whereon is wound the cord carr ing the plummet, a drum fromwhich said cord is paid out during the descent of the plummet, aconnecting pin carried by the drum and engaging the slidable member thuspreventing any displacement of same, said connecting pin being withdrawnfrom the slidable member when a predetermined length of the cord hasunwound from the drum, thus leaving the releasing spring free to act andto allow the ejection of the parachute.

' GIOVANNI EMANUELE ELIA.

